| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| 1 Balances of deceit [are] an abomination to Jehovah, And a perfect weight [is] His delight. |
A false balance – This balancing applies as truly to mental as to physical dealings with others. R4514:6
A just weight – Not only by squaring every act and word with strictest justice, but bringing "every thought into subjection to the will of God." (2 Cor. 10:5) R4514:6
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| 2 Pride hath come, and shame cometh, And with the lowly [is] wisdom. |
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| 3 The integrity of the upright leadeth them, And the perverseness of the treacherous destroyeth them. |
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| 4 Wealth profiteth not in a day of wrath, And righteousness delivereth from death. |
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| 5 The righteousness of the perfect maketh right his way, And by his wickedness doth the wicked fall. |
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| 6 The righteousness of the upright delivereth them, And in mischief the treacherous are captured. |
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| 7 In the death of a wicked man, hope perisheth, And the expectation of the iniquitous hath been lost. |
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| 8 The righteous from distress is drawn out, And the wicked goeth in instead of him. |
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| 9 With the mouth a hypocrite corrupteth his friend, And by knowledge the righteous are drawn out. |
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| 10 In the good of the righteous a city exulteth, And in the destruction of the wicked [is] singing. |
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| 11 By the blessing of the upright is a city exalted, And by the mouth of the wicked thrown down. |
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| 12 Whoso is despising his neighbour lacketh heart, And a man of understanding keepeth silence. |
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| 13 A busybody is revealing secret counsel, And the faithful of spirit is covering the matter. |
A faithful spirit – Ruach, disposition, mind. E318
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| 14 Without counsels do a people fall, And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counsellors. |
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| 15 Evil [one] suffereth when he hath been surety [for] a stranger, And whoso is hating suretyship is confident. |
He that is surety – by endorsing notes or going on a bond. F568
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| 16 A gracious woman retaineth honour, And terrible [men] retain riches. |
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| 17 A kind man is rewarding his own soul, And the fierce is troubling his own flesh. |
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| 18 The wicked is getting a lying wage, And whoso is sowing righteousness a true reward. |
A sure reward – Future rewards. R723:4, R 2613:6
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| 19 Rightly [is] righteousness for life, And whoso is pursuing evil for his own death. |
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| 20 An abomination to Jehovah [are] the perverse of heart, And the perfect of the way [are] His delight. |
His delight – Since we were created for the divine pleasure (Rev. 4:11), being responsive to God's goodness institutes a lively and delightful fellowship with him. R2031:3
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| 21 Hand to hand, the wicked is not acquitted, And the seed of the righteous hath escaped. |
Hand join in hand – The tendency to unity is an artificial one and efforts in that direction are made for policy's sake. R1548:4
If the world's multitudes say, Come, join our fraternity and band together with us to fight for our rights, the upright will say No! R1875:5
Saying, "in union there is strength." R1548:4
Not be unpunished – But the wrath of God is always just and tempered with mercy. R2613:2
Seed of the righteous – We should train our children that, when the trouble comes, they will counsel others to righteousness and the avoidance of carnal warfare. R1963:6
Shall be delivered – Unless they need the purging, the Lord will permit the glorified Church to care for their children during the great time of trouble. R1963:5
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| 22 A ring of gold in the nose of a sow A fair woman and stubborn of behaviour. |
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| 23 The desire of the righteous [is] only good, The hope of the wicked [is] transgression. |
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| 24 There is who is scattering, and yet is increased, And who is keeping back from uprightness, only to want. |
That scattereth – By hospitality and liberality. R2856:6
Christlikeness implies not only a desire to be helpful to the groaning creation, but the effort to assist them, even at the cost of earthly comforts. R2857:1
There will always be opportunities to spend this world's goods for spiritual food for the famishing ones fleeing out of Babylon. R1593:5
Though bringing forth fruit only in good hearts, we are yet preaching the good tidings to all willing to hear. R1023:6
One-day and general conventions are not a waste of money that could have been used otherwise. R3877:6, R3856:2
And yet increaseth – As we give out to others our own store of blessing is increased. R5720:5
Sometimes in natural things; always in spiritual. F344
That withholdeth – As the neglect of tithes by Israel led to empty granaries and lean flocks, our neglect to render our all in full consecration results in loss to us. R2485:6, R2486:5
In the case of the house of sons, not merely one tenth, but everything is consecrated, and all is to be used as opportunity indicates. F345
More than is meet – The degree of our prosperity should be the measure of our charity. R5927:4, R2857:1
If one has kept anything back he did not make a full consecration, and may be sure he has not been fully accepted by the Lord. F345
Those who have not the love that leads them to respond with gratitude have not the condition of heart which the Lord loves. R2500:5
The Lord's followers are to be prudent, economical; but not miserly, stingy, penurious. R3877:6, R3504:2; F344
Tendeth to poverty – Sometimes to financial; always to spiritual. F344
Poverty of soul as well as poverty of purse. R3877:5
It is not always those who fight most strenuously for their rights who fare the best, even in this world. R3738:4
Cases of absolute privation may mean that one, when possessed of means, failed to use a portion in charity, in the Lord's service. R5927:3
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| 25 A liberal soul is made fat, And whoso is watering, he also is watered. |
Liberal soul – Generous--not merely in earthly matters, but especially in their hearts, minds and thoughts--benevolent and kindly. R3939:3
Like Christ, desirous of sharing temporal or spiritual favors with others, particularly with the "household of faith." R2212:5
The congregations of Macedonia did not stop with money, but gave themselves in service to God's cause, thus receiving great spiritual blessings. R1594:1
In practicing liberality we are developing Godlikeness. R2857:1, R5927:2
Spending for the spiritual welfare of themselves and others. R3856:2
Made fat – Spiritually. R1594:4
We learn from the "widow's mite" that the Lord measures not the amount but the spirit prompting the gift, granting spiritual "fatness" accordingly. R5927:3
"He that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." (2Cor. 9:6) R2212:1
He that watereth – In telling the message of his grace we shall grow spiritually ourselves. R4244:2, R5720:3, R5978:4
Those most active in serving the truth to others are amongst the most blessed. R4244:2
To the extent we exercise a spirit of benevolence in giving, like our Heavenly Father, we are likely to have a special blessing. R5409:4, R3377:6
Great blessing results from liberality in the Lord's cause. R5927:2 Proverbs 11:28
Righteous shall flourish – During the Millennium the Prince of Life will use only the pure, holy, reverent and godly. OV91:1
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| 26 Whoso is withholding corn, the people execrate him, And a blessing [is] for the head of him who is selling. |
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| 27 Whoso is earnestly seeking good Seeketh a pleasing thing, And whoso is seeking evil it meeteth him. |
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| 28 Whoso is confident in his wealth he falleth, And as a leaf, the righteous flourish. |
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| 29 Whoso is troubling his own house inheriteth wind, And a servant [is] the fool to the wise of heart. |
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| 30 The fruit of the righteous [is] a tree of life, And whoso is taking souls [is] wise. |
Tree of life – A righteous life, of whose virtue others may partake and live. R1520:5
Winneth souls – Whose wise and righteous course in life becomes an incentive to righteousness in others. R1520:5
Away from the path of sin and ungodliness; to righteousness, peace, faith and trust in God. R1520:5
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| 31 Lo, the righteous in the earth is recompensed, Surely also the wicked and the sinner! |
In the earth – The Bible purgatory will be established in the earth. R1469:4
Much more – "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear." (1 Pet. 4:18) R2053:2
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